Classifications

• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08L—COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS
  • C08L23/00—Compositions of homopolymers or copolymers of unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbons having only one carbon-to-carbon double bond; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers
  • C08L23/02—Compositions of homopolymers or copolymers of unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbons having only one carbon-to-carbon double bond; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers not modified by chemical after-treatment
  • C08L23/04—Homopolymers or copolymers of ethene
  • C08L23/06—Polyethene
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
  • B29C—SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING
  • B29C48/00—Extrusion moulding, i.e. expressing the moulding material through a die or nozzle which imparts the desired form; Apparatus therefor
  • B29C48/03—Extrusion moulding, i.e. expressing the moulding material through a die or nozzle which imparts the desired form; Apparatus therefor characterised by the shape of the extruded material at extrusion
  • B29C48/09—Articles with cross-sections having partially or fully enclosed cavities, e.g. pipes or channels
  • B29C48/10—Articles with cross-sections having partially or fully enclosed cavities, e.g. pipes or channels flexible, e.g. blown foils
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08K—Use of inorganic or non-macromolecular organic substances as compounding ingredients
  • C08K3/00—Use of inorganic substances as compounding ingredients
  • C08K3/01—Use of inorganic substances as compounding ingredients characterized by their specific function
  • C08K3/013—Fillers, pigments or reinforcing additives
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08K—Use of inorganic or non-macromolecular organic substances as compounding ingredients
  • C08K3/00—Use of inorganic substances as compounding ingredients
  • C08K3/18—Oxygen-containing compounds, e.g. metal carbonyls
  • C08K3/24—Acids; Salts thereof
  • C08K3/26—Carbonates; Bicarbonates
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08K—Use of inorganic or non-macromolecular organic substances as compounding ingredients
  • C08K3/00—Use of inorganic substances as compounding ingredients
  • C08K3/34—Silicon-containing compounds
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08K—Use of inorganic or non-macromolecular organic substances as compounding ingredients
  • C08K5/00—Use of organic ingredients
  • C08K5/0008—Organic ingredients according to more than one of the "one dot" groups of C08K5/01 - C08K5/59
  • C08K5/0083—Nucleating agents promoting the crystallisation of the polymer matrix
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08L—COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS
  • C08L23/00—Compositions of homopolymers or copolymers of unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbons having only one carbon-to-carbon double bond; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers
  • C08L23/02—Compositions of homopolymers or copolymers of unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbons having only one carbon-to-carbon double bond; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers not modified by chemical after-treatment
  • C08L23/10—Homopolymers or copolymers of propene
  • C08L23/12—Polypropene
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08L—COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS
  • C08L51/00—Compositions of graft polymers in which the grafted component is obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers
  • C08L51/06—Compositions of graft polymers in which the grafted component is obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers grafted on to homopolymers or copolymers of aliphatic hydrocarbons containing only one carbon-to-carbon double bond
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08L—COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS
  • C08L53/00—Compositions of block copolymers containing at least one sequence of a polymer obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
  • H01B—CABLES; CONDUCTORS; INSULATORS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR CONDUCTIVE, INSULATING OR DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES
  • H01B3/00—Insulators or insulating bodies characterised by the insulating materials; Selection of materials for their insulating or dielectric properties
  • H01B3/18—Insulators or insulating bodies characterised by the insulating materials; Selection of materials for their insulating or dielectric properties mainly consisting of organic substances
  • H01B3/30—Insulators or insulating bodies characterised by the insulating materials; Selection of materials for their insulating or dielectric properties mainly consisting of organic substances plastics; resins; waxes
  • H01B3/44—Insulators or insulating bodies characterised by the insulating materials; Selection of materials for their insulating or dielectric properties mainly consisting of organic substances plastics; resins; waxes vinyl resins; acrylic resins
  • H01B3/441—Insulators or insulating bodies characterised by the insulating materials; Selection of materials for their insulating or dielectric properties mainly consisting of organic substances plastics; resins; waxes vinyl resins; acrylic resins from alkenes
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08L—COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS
  • C08L2203/00—Applications
  • C08L2203/18—Applications used for pipes
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08L—COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS
  • C08L2205/00—Polymer mixtures characterised by other features
  • C08L2205/03—Polymer mixtures characterised by other features containing three or more polymers in a blend
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08L—COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS
  • C08L2205/00—Polymer mixtures characterised by other features
  • C08L2205/03—Polymer mixtures characterised by other features containing three or more polymers in a blend
  • C08L2205/035—Polymer mixtures characterised by other features containing three or more polymers in a blend containing four or more polymers in a blend
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C08—ORGANIC MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS; THEIR PREPARATION OR CHEMICAL WORKING-UP; COMPOSITIONS BASED THEREON
  • C08L—COMPOSITIONS OF MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS
  • C08L2205/00—Polymer mixtures characterised by other features
  • C08L2205/08—Polymer mixtures characterised by other features containing additives to improve the compatibility between two polymers
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G02—OPTICS
  • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
  • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
  • G02B6/44—Mechanical structures for providing tensile strength and external protection for fibres, e.g. optical transmission cables
  • G02B6/4401—Optical cables
  • G02B6/4429—Means specially adapted for strengthening or protecting the cables
  • G02B6/44384—Means specially adapted for strengthening or protecting the cables the means comprising water blocking or hydrophobic materials

Definitions

• the invention is a composition comprising, or consisting essentially of, or consisting of, in weight percent (wt%) based on the weight of the composition:
• HDPE high density polyethylene
• olefin block composite comprising, consisting essentially of, or consisting of, ethylene-propylene (EP) copolymer, isotactic polypropylene (iPP), and an EP-iPP diblock polymer, and
• the HDPE is a bimodal HDPE (b-HDPE).
• the composition further comprises at least one of a filler and additive.
• the invention is a process of making a tube, the process comprising the steps of:
• HDPE high density polyethylene
• (C) 7-12% compatibilizer comprising in wt% based on the weight of the compatibilizer: (1) 30-90% olefin block composite comprising, consisting essentially of, or consisting of, ethylene-propylene (EP) copolymer, isotactic polypropylene (iPP), and an EP-iPP diblock polymer, and
• the compounding is performed under melt mixing conditions.
• at least one of nucleating agent and a filler is also compounded to form the homogeneous mixture.
• the HDPE is a bimodal HDPE (b-HDPE).
• the invention is a tube made by any of the process embodiments described above.
• the tube is a buffer tube for fiber optic cables.
• the invention is a fiber optic cable comprising a buffer tube.
• the Figure is a melt strength curve at 190°C of the samples from Comparative Examples CE3, 9-10 and 13 and Inventive Example IE2.
• the numerical ranges disclosed herein include all values from, and including, the lower and upper value.
• explicit values e.g., 1 or 2; or 3 to 5; or 6; or 7
• any subrange between any two explicit values is included (e.g., 1 to 2; 2 to 6; 2.5 to 5.5; 5 to 7; 3 to 7; 5 to 6; etc.).
• compositions claimed through use of the term “comprising” may include any additional additive, adjuvant, or compound, whether polymeric or otherwise, unless stated to the contrary.
• Polymer means a compound prepared by reacting (i.e., polymerizing) monomers, whether of the same or a different type.
• the generic term polymer thus embraces the term “homopolymer”, usually employed to refer to polymers prepared from only one type of monomer, and the term “interpolymer” as defined below.
• Interpolymer means a polymer prepared by the polymerization of at least two different types of monomers.
• This generic term includes both classical copolymers, i.e., polymers prepared from two different types of monomers, and polymers prepared from more than two different types of monomers, e.g., terpolymers, tetrapolymers, etc.
• “Mer”, “mer unit” and like terms means that portion of a polymer derived from a single reactant molecule; for example, a mer unit derived from ethylene has the general formula
• Olefin and like terms mean an unsaturated, aliphatic or alicyclic, substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbon having one or more double bonds.
• Substituted olefin means an olefin in which one or more hydrogen atoms bound to any carbon of the olefin is replaced by another group such as a halogen, aryl, substituted aryl, cycloalkyl, substituted cycloalkyl, hetero-cycloalkyl, substituted hetero-cycloalkyl, halogen, haloalkyl, hydroxy, phosphido, alkoxy, amino, thio, nitro, or a combinations of two or more such substituents.
• Elastomer and like terms means a rubber-like polymer that (i) can be stretched to at least twice its original length and which retracts very rapidly to approximately its original length when the force exerting the stretching is released, and (ii) has a glass transition temperature (Tg) which is equal to or less than 0°C.
• Olefin elastomer and like terms mean an elastomeric polymer comprising at least 50 mole percent (mol%) of units derived from one or more olefins.
• Blend means a composition of two or more polymers. Such a blend may or may not be miscible. Such a blend may or may not be phase separated. Such a blend may or may not contain one or more domain configurations, as determined from transmission electron spectroscopy, light scattering, x-ray scattering, and any other method known in the art.
• composition means a mixture or blend of two or more components.
• the composition includes Components ⁇ -D plus any additives, fillers and the like.
• the polypropylene used in the practice of this invention, component (A) of the composition can be any polypropylene polymer made via any means known to one of skill in the art or polypropylene polymer blend, such as a homopolymer polypropylene, a random ethylene or butene copolymer of polypropylene, or an impact modified polypropylene blend which contains either a homopolymer polypropylene or a crystalline random copolymer of ethylene and propylene combined with a rubbery ethylene-propylene copolymer.
• polypropylene polymer made via any means known to one of skill in the art or polypropylene polymer blend such as a homopolymer polypropylene, a random ethylene or butene copolymer of polypropylene, or an impact modified polypropylene blend which contains either a homopolymer polypropylene or a crystalline random copolymer of ethylene and propylene combined with a rubbery ethylene-propylene copolymer.
• the polypropylene used in the practice of this invention is a polymer having at least half of its mer units derived from propylene.
• These include homopolymers of propylene as well as copolymers of propylene with one or more monomers with which it (i.e., propylene) is copolymerizable such as ethylene, 1 -butene, 1 -pentene, 1-hexene, 1-octene, one or more conjugated or non-conjugated dienes, and combinations of two or more of these comonomers.
• the polypropylene is a high crystallinity polypropylene, more typically a high crystallinity polypropylene with a melt flow rate (MFR) of less than or equal to ( ⁇ ) 12 g/10 min (230°C/2.16kg), even more typically with a MFR ⁇ 4 g/10 min (230 °C/2.16kg).
• MFR melt flow rate
• the high crystallinity polypropylene is a propylene homopolymer or mini-random copolymer (i.e., a propylene copolymer comprising 98% to less than 100% mer units derived from propylene monomer with the remainder of mer units derived from another olefin monomer, typically ethylene).
• High crystallinity means that the polypropylene has crystallinity equal to or greater than 40%, preferably equal to or greater than 55%, as measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) heat of fusion.
• DSC differential scanning calorimetry
• General principles of DSC measurements and applications of DSC to studying crystalline and semi-crystalline polymers are described in standard texts (for instance, E. A. Turi, ed., "Thermal Characterization of Polymeric Materials", Academic Press, 1981).
• crystallinity refers to the regularity of the arrangement of atoms or molecules forming a crystal structure. Polymer crystallinity can be examined using DSC. T me means the temperature at which the melting ends and T max means the peak melting temperature, both as determined by one of ordinary skill in the art from DSC analysis using data from the final heating step.
• One suitable method for DSC analysis uses a model Q1000TM DSC from TA Instruments, Inc. Calibration of the DSC is performed in the following manner. First, a baseline is obtained by heating the cell from -90°C to 290°C without any sample in the aluminum DSC pan.
• Samples of polymer are pressed into a thin film at a temperature of 177°C.
• About 5 to 8 mg of sample is weighed out and placed in a DSC pan.
• a lid is crimped on the pan to ensure a closed atmosphere.
• the sample pan is placed in the DSC cell and then heated at a high rate of about 100°C/min to a temperature of 230°C.
• the sample is kept at this temperature for about 3 minutes.
• the sample is cooled at a rate of 10°C/min to -40°C, and kept isothermally at that temperature for 3 minutes. Consequently the sample is heated at a rate of 10°C/min until melting is complete.
• the resulting enthalpy curves are analyzed for peak melt temperature, onset and peak crystallization temperatures, heat of fusion and heat of crystallization, T me , T max , and any other quantity of interest from the corresponding thermograms as described in USP 6,960,635.
• the total crystallinity of a propylene-based polymer (units: weight percent crystallinity) is calculated as the heat of fusion divided by 165 J/g and multiplied by 100 percent.
• the elastomeric impact modifier contributes negligibly to heat of fusion.
• the result of the above calculation is further divided by a factor equal to one minus the weight fraction of elastomeric impact modifier.
• the polypropylene used in the practice of this invention is an impact-modified polypropylene.
• These propylene polymers have a continuous phase which is comprised of a propylene polymer, and an elastomeric phase.
• the propylene polymer of the continuous phase typically will be a homopolymer propylene polymer or a random or mini-random propylene copolymer, more typically a homopolymer propylene polymer.
• the propylene polymer may be made using a Ziegler-Natta catalyst, constrained geometry catalyst, metallocene catalyst, or any other suitable catalyst system.
• the crystallinity of the propylene polymer is preferably at least about 50 percent, more preferably at least about 55 percent, most preferably at least about 62 percent.
• the elastomeric phase may be made using a constrained geometry catalyst, Ziegler- Natta catalyst, metallocene catalyst or any other suitable catalyst.
• Ethylene propylene rubbers are typically made in the second of two reactors coupled in series.
• Preferred blended elastomers include, but are not limited to, ethylene-octene, ethylene-butylene and ethylene-hexene.
• the elastomeric content of the impact propylene copolymer or the blend is from 8 to 40, more typically from 12 to 25 and most typically from 15 to 20 wt% based on the weight of the copolymer or blend.
• an acceptable substitute for an impact-modified polypropylene component of the composition of this invention is polypropylene homopolymer or mini-random polymer in combination with a polymeric elastomer such as an ethylene-propylene copolymer, each added separately to the composition and in an amount similar to their respective amounts in an impact modified propylene polymer, e.g., 80-90 wt% propylene homopolymer and/or mini-random polymer and 10-20wt% elastomer.
• the HDPE used in the practice of this invention i.e., component (B) of the composition, is known in the art.
• the HDPE has a density from 0.945 to 0.970 g/cc, or from 0.950 to 0.970 g/cc, or from 0.952 to 0.970 g/cc.
• the HDPE has a melt index (MI, 12) from 1 to 4 g/10 min, or from 1.2 to 3.5 g/10 min, or from 1.2 to 3 g/10 min.
• the HDPE has both a density and MI as described above.
• the HDPE is a bimodal HDPE (b-HDPE).
• b-HDPE bimodal HDPE
• the polymer comprises at least two components, one of which has a relatively low molecular weight and a relatively high density and another of which has a relatively high molecular weight and a relatively low density.
• comprising at least two components means that the HDPE can comprise more than two components, i.e., "bimodal" includes “multimodal”.
• the molecular weight distribution (MWD) of a polymer produced in a single polymerization stage using a single monomer mixture, a single polymerization catalyst and a single set of process conditions will show a single maximum, the breadth of which will depend on catalyst choice, reactor choice, process conditions, etc.
• Such a polymer is monomodal, and it is not used as component (B) in this embodiment of the inventive composition.
• the bimodal HDPE is produced by polymerization using conditions which create a bimodal polymer product, e.g., using a catalyst system or mixture with two or more different catalytic sites, using two or more stage polymerization processes with different process conditions in the different stages (e.g., different temperatures, pressures, polymerization media, hydrogen partial pressures, etc.).
• Such bimodal HDPE may be produced relatively simply by a multistage ethylene polymerization, e.g., using a series of reactors, with comonomer addition in only the reactor(s) used for production of the higher/highest molecular weight component(s). Examples of bimodal PE production are given in EP-A-778,289 and W092/12182.
• the compatibilizer used in the practice of this invention comprises, or preferably consists essentially of, or more preferably consists of, a mixture of (1) an olefin block composite comprising, consisting essentially of, or consisting of, (a) ethylene-propylene (EP) copolymer, (b) isotactic polypropylene (iPP), and (c) an EP-iPP diblock polymer, and (2) a maleic anhydride grafted high density polyethylene (M AH-g-HDPE).
• the olefin block composite comprises from 30 to 90, or from 40 to 80, or from 50 to 80, wt% of the compatibilizer.
• the MAH-g-HDPE comprises from 10 to 70, or from 20 to 60, or from 20 to 50, wt% of the compatibilizer.
• block composite refers to polymer compositions comprising three components: (1) a soft copolymer, (2) a hard polymer, and (3) a block copolymer having a soft segment and a hard segment.
• the hard segment of the block copolymer is the same composition as the hard polymer in the block composite and the soft segment of the block copolymer is the same composition as the soft copolymer of the block composite.
• the block copolymers present in the olefin block composite can be linear or branched. More specifically, when produced in a continuous process, the block composites can have a polydispersity index (PDI) from 1.7 to 15, from 1.8 to 3.5, from 1.8 to 2.2, or from 1.8 to 2.1. When produced in a batch or semi-batch process, the block composites can have a PDI from 1.0 to 2.9, from 1.3 to 2.5, from 1.4 to 2.0, or from 1.4 to 1.8.
• olefin block composite refers to block composites prepared solely or substantially solely from two or more a-olefin types of monomers.
• the olefin block composite can consist of only two a-olefin type monomer units.
• An example of an olefin block composite would be a hard segment and hard polymer comprising only or substantially only propylene monomer residues with a soft segment and soft polymer comprising only or substantially only ethylene and propylene comonomer residues.
• hard segments refer to highly crystalline blocks of polymerized units in which a single monomer is present in an amount greater than 95 mol%, or greater than 98 mol%. In other words, the comonomer content in the hard segments is less than 5 mol%, or less than 2 mol%. In some embodiments, the hard segments comprise all or substantially all propylene units.
• Soft segments refer to amorphous, substantially amorphous or elastomeric blocks of polymerized units having a comonomer content greater than 10 mol%. In some embodiments, the soft segments comprise ethylene/propylene interpolymers.
• crystalline when used to describe olefin block composites, refers to a polymer or polymer block that possesses a first order transition or crystalline melting point (“Tm”) as determined by differential scanning calorimetry ("DSC”) or equivalent technique.
• Tm transition or crystalline melting point
• DSC differential scanning calorimetry
• amorphous refers to a polymer lacking a crystalline melting point.
• isotactic denotes polymer repeat units having at least 70 percent isotactic pentads as determined by 13 C- nulcear magnetic resonance (“NMR”) analysis.
• NMR nulcear magnetic resonance
• “Highly isotactic” denotes polymers having at least 90 percent isotactic pentads.
• block copolymer or “segmented copolymer” refers to a polymer comprising two or more chemically distinct regions or segments (referred to as “blocks”) joined in a linear manner, that is, a polymer comprising chemically differentiated units which are joined end-to-end with respect to polymerized ethylenic functionality, rather than in pendent or grafted fashion.
• the blocks differ in the amount or type of comonomer incorporated therein, the density, the amount of crystallinity, the crystallite size attributable to a polymer of such composition, the type or degree of tacticity (isotactic or syndiotactic), regio-regularity or regio-irregularity, the amount of branching, including long chain branching or hyper-branching, the homogeneity, or any other chemical or physical property.
• the olefin block composites employed herein are characterized by unique distributions of polymer PDI, block length distribution, and/or block number distribution, due, in a preferred embodiment, to the effect of shuttling agent(s) in combination with the catalyst(s) used in preparing the block composites.
• the olefin diblock composite comprises an EP-iPP diblock polymer that has an ethylene content from 43 to 48 wt%, or from 43.5 to 47 wt%, or from 44 to 47 wt %, based on the weight of the diblock copolymer.
• the EP-iPP diblock polymer has a propylene content from 57 to 52 wt%, or from 56.5 to 53 wt%, or from 56 to 53 wt%, based on the weight of the EP-iPP diblock polymer.
• the olefin block composite employed herein can be prepared by a process comprising contacting an addition polymerizable monomer or mixture of monomers under addition polymerization conditions with a composition comprising at least one addition polymerization catalyst, a cocatalyst and a chain shuttling agent ("CSA"), the process being characterized by formation of at least some of the growing polymer chains under differentiated process conditions in two or more reactors operating under steady state polymerization conditions or in two or more zones of a reactor operating under plug flow polymerization conditions.
• CSA chain shuttling agent
• the EP-iPP diblock polymers of the block composites comprise from 10 to 90 wt% hard segments and 90 to 10 wt% soft segments.
• the weight percent ethylene may range from 10% to 75%, or from 30% to 70%.
• propylene constitutes the remainder of the soft segment.
• the weight percent propylene may range from 80% to 100%.
• the hard segments can comprise greater than 90 wt%, 95 wt%, or 98 wt% propylene.
• the block composites described herein may be differentiated from conventional, random copolymers, physical blends of polymers, and block copolymers prepared via sequential monomer addition.
• the block composites may be differentiated from random copolymers by characteristics such as higher melting temperatures for a comparable amount of comonomer, block composite index, as described below; from a physical blend by characteristics such as block composite index, better tensile strength, improved fracture strength, finer morphology, improved optics, and greater impact strength at lower temperature; from block copolymers prepared by sequential monomer addition by molecular weight distribution, rheology, shear thinning, rheology ratio, and in that there is block polydispersity.
• the block composites have a Block Composite Index ("BO"), as defined below, that is greater than zero but less than 0.4, or from 0.1 to 0.3.
• BCI is greater than 0.4 and up to 1.0.
• the BCI can range from 0.4 to 0.7, from 0.5 to 0.7, or from 0.6 to 0.9.
• BCI ranges from 0.3 to 0.9, from 0.3 to 0.8, from 0.3 to 0.7, from 0.3 to 0.6, from 0.3 to 0.5, or from 0.3 to 0.4.
• BCI ranges from 0.4 to 1.0, from 0.5 to 1.0, from 0.6 to 1.0, from 0.7 to 1.0, from 0.8 to 1.0, or from 0.9 to 1.0.
• BCI is herein defined to equal the weight percentage of diblock copolymer divided by 100% (i.e., weight fraction).
• the value of the block composite index can range from 0 to 1, wherein 1 would be equal to 100% diblock and zero would be for a material such as a traditional blend or random copolymer.
• the olefin block composites can have a crystalline melting point (Tm) greater than 100°C, preferably greater than 120°C, and more preferably greater than 125 °C.
• the melt index ("h") of the block composite can range from 0.1 to 1000 g/10 min., from 0.1 to 50 g/10 min., from 0.1 to 30 g/10 min., or from 1 to 10 g/10 min.
• the block composites can have a weight average molecular weight (“Mw”) from 10,000 to 2,500,000, from 35,000 to 1 ,000,000, from 50,000 to 300,000, or from 50,000 to 200,000 g/mol.
• Suitable catalysts and catalyst precursors for use in the present invention include metal complexes such as disclosed in WO 2005/090426, in particular, those disclosed starting on page 20, line 30 through page 53, line 20. Suitable catalysts are also disclosed in U.S. 2006/0199930; U.S.2007/0167578; U.S.2008/031 1812; U.S. 201 1/0082258; U.S. Patent No. 7,355,089; and WO 2009/012215.
• Suitable co-catalysts are those disclosed in WO 2005/090426, in particular, those disclosed on page 54, line 1 to page 60, line 12.
• Suitable chain shuttling agents are those disclosed in WO 2005/090426, in particular, those disclosed on page 19, line 21 through page 20 line 12.
• Particularly preferred chain shuttling agents are dialkyl zinc compounds.
• the EP/iPP diblock polymer has a density from 0.89 to 0.93 g/cc, or from 0.90 to 0.93 g/cc and/or a melt flow rate (MFR) from 6.5 to 12 g/10 min, or from 7 to 10 g/10 min, measured at 230°C/2.16 kg.
• MFR melt flow rate
• the HDPE resins that can be used as the HDPE component of the MAH-g-HDPE component of the compatilizer are well known, commercially available, and made by any one of a wide variety of processes including, but not limited to, solution, gas or slurry phase; Ziegler-Natta or metallocene catalyzed; etc.
• these resins have a density of 0.95 to 0.965 g/cm 3 and a melt index (12) of 0.1 to 4.0 before grafting with MAH.
• HDPE resins include but are not limited to DOW High Density Polyethylene resins and CONTINUUMTM and UNIVALTM high density polyethylene resins, all available from The Dow Chemical Company; BS2581 available from Borealis; HOSTALENTM ACP 583 ID available from Lyondell/Basell; HD5502S available from Ineos, B5823 and B5421 available from Sabic, and HDPE 5802 and BM593 available from Total.
• the HDPE can be monomodal or bimodal.
• MAH-g-HDPE are known compounds and are commercially available, e.g., AMPLIFYTM 1053 available from The Dow Chemical Company.
• MAH-g-HDPE can be made by various processes one of which is described in USP 4,950,541.
• the MAH content of the MAH-g-HDPE is from 0.9 to 2 wt%, or from 1 to 1.7wt%, or from 1.1 to 1.6 wl%, based on the weight of the MAH-g-HDPE.
• nucleating agent Any compound that will initiate and/or promote the crystallization of the polymer components of the composition of this invention can be used as the nucleating agent.
• suitable nucleating agents include, but are not limited to, ADK NA-1 1 (CAS# 85209-91 -2), available commercially from Asahi Denim Kokai; HYPERFORMTM HPN-20E, available from Milliken Chemical; talc and calcium carbonate. Persons of ordinary skill in the art can readily identify other useful nucleating agents.
• the nucleating agents can be included in the inventive composition in amounts ranging from 0.05 to 5.0 wt%, from 0.09 to 2.0 wt%, or from 0.1 to 1.0 wt% based on the weight of the composition. In the absence of a filler, typically the amount of nucleating agent present in the composition is less than 1.0 wt%.
• compositions of this invention optionally can comprise a filler.
• a filler Any filler known to a person of ordinary skill in the art may be used in the compositions of this invention.
• suitable fillers include sand, talc, dolomite, calcium carbonate, clay, silica, mica, woUastonite, feldspar, aluminum silicate, alumina, hydrated alumina, glass bead, glass microsphere, ceramic microsphere, thermoplastic microsphere, barite, wood flour, and combinations of two or more of these materials.
• the amount of the filler in the composition can be from greater than 0 to 60 wt %, or from 1 to 50 wt %, or from 5 to 40 wt % of the weight of the composition.
• a nucleating agent e.g., talc, calcium carbonate, etc.
• the composition of this invention may optionally comprise one or more additives.
• additives may be incorporated into the resin composition so long as the objects of the disclosure are not compromised.
• Nonlimiting examples of such additives include antioxidants, acid scavengers, heat stabilizers, light stabilizers, ultraviolet light absorbers, lubricants, antistatic agents, pigments, dyes, dispersing agents, inhibitors, neutralizing agents, foaming agents, plasticizers, flowability improvers, anti-blocking agents, slip additives, and weld strength improvers.
• antioxidants are hindered phenols (such as, for example, IRGANOXTM 1010) and phosphites (for example, IRGAFOSTM 168) both commercially available from BASF.
• the additives may be employed alone or in any combination, and they are used, if used at all, in known amounts and in known ways, i.e., in functionally equivalent amounts known to those skilled in the art.
• the amount of antioxidant employed is that amount which prevents the polymer blend from undergoing oxidation at the temperatures and environment employed during storage and ultimate use of the polymers.
• Such amount of antioxidants is usually in the range of from 0.0001 to 10, preferably from 0.001 to 5, more preferably from 0.01 to 2, wt % based upon the weight of the composition.
• the amounts of any of the other enumerated additives are the functionally equivalent amounts.
• the weight ratio of bimodal HDPE to PP is greater than (>) 1 , preferably >1.5 and more preferably >2. In one embodiment the weight ratio of HDPE to PP is of 0.8:1 to 3:1, preferably 0.9:1 to 3:1 and more preferably 1:1 to 2:1.
• Compounding of the compositions of this invention can be performed by standard means known to those skilled in the art.
• Examples of compounding equipment are internal batch mixers, such as a BANBURY rM or BOLLING 1 M internal mixer.
• continuous single or twin screw mixers can be used, such as a FARREL 1 M continuous mixer, a WERNER AND PFLEIDERERTM twin screw mixer, or a BUSSTM kneading continuous extruder.
• the type of mixer utilized, and the operating conditions of the mixer, will affect properties of the composition such as viscosity, volume resistivity, and extruded surface smoothness.
• the compounding temperature of the polypropylene, HDPE, compatibilizer and nucleating agent and optional additive packages will vary with the composition, but it is typically in excess of 180°C. For a 3: 1 weight ratio of polypropylene to HDPE, the compounding temperature is typically in excess of 245°C.
• the various components of the final composition can be added to and compounded with one another in any order, or simultaneously, but typically the polypropylene , HDPE and compatibilizer are first compounded with one another, and then with the nucleating agent, and then with the filler and/or additives.
• the additives are added as a pre-mixed masterbatch. Such masterbatches are commonly formed by dispersing the additives, either separately or together, in a small amount of one or more of the polypropylene and HDPE. Masterbatches are conveniently formed by melt compounding methods.
• the invention relates to improved retention of modulus after aging in buffer tube gels as compared to the typical PP copolymer-based material used for these applications.
• the improvement is achieved by blending an HDPE, preferably a bimodal HDPE, resin with a homopolymer PP having a 1% secant flexural modulus of > 1 ,500 MPa measured according to ASTM D-790A along with two compatibilizers, e.g., INTUNETM D5545.00 (EP- iPP diblock copolymer) and AMPLIFYTM 1053 (MAH-g-HDPE).
• the HDPE resin is a bimodal resin with 1.5 g/10 min MI (190C/2.16kg) and density of 0.95 g/cc
• the PP is a homopolymer, or high crystallinity PP or heterophasic copolymer PP, with a melt flow rate (MFR) of 3.6 g/10 min (230°C/2.16kg) such as BRASKEM 1 M H521.
• the PP may be a blend of two or more PP with at least one PP of high melt strength homopolymer PP or heterophasic impact copolymer PP with a 1% secant flexural modulus > 1,400 MPa measured according to ASTM D-790A and an MFR of 0.4 to 4.0 (230°C/2.16 kg PP for improved melt strength which is an important property of a composition intended for use in the manufacture of a buffer tube.
• the buffer tubes of this invention exhibit one or more of the following properties: (1) lower grease absorption, (2) higher retention of secant modulus after aging, and (3) better impact strength as measured by low temperature brittleness, all as compared to a conventional buffer tube made from a PP copolymer.
• the crystallization half time of the composition is also improved (faster) as compared to similar blends with only an EP-iPP diblock copolymer as compatibilizer, i.e., a compatibilizer composition without a MAH-g-HDPE component.
• the hydrocarbon gel used for these studies is LT 410 manufactured by Honghui in the Peoples Republic of China (PRC).
• Gel absorption is determined by measuring the weight gain of each sample with time. Samples are immersed in the LT 410 hydrocarbon gel and then placed in an 8S°C convection oven. Each sample is initially weighed and then re-weighed after 14 days in the gel after removing all the gel from the sample surfaces.
• the hydrocarbon gel used for these studies is LA444 manufactured by the Stewart Group.
• the LA 444 is a low cost gel that is typically used for polybutylene terephthalate (PBT) based buffer tubes.
• the gel absorption is monitored by measuring the weight gain of each sample with time. Compression molded lxlx.075 in samples are immersed in the LA444 hydrocarbon gel and the samples are placed in an 85°C convection oven. Each sample is initially weighed and then re-weighed after 14 days in the gel after removing all the gel from the sample surfaces. A weight percent increase for the samples is shown in the Tables 2 and 3.
• the inventive and the comparative samples roughly maintain a lower gel absorption as compared to the ESCORENETM copolymer PP and the inventive samples show similar results to the BRASKEMTM PP.
• Type IV dog-bone samples for imaged and gel aged modulus testing are die cut from compression molded 75 mil thick plaques.
• the secant modulus of the buffer tube materials is measured by an INSTRON 1 M 4201 using a 100 lb load cell without an extensometer.
• the clamp jaw separation is 1 in and the jaws are serrated in order to achieve a tighter grip on the sample ends.
• the crosshead is set to stop its travel at the 0.10" ( 10%) strain point.
• the test is conducted at a 0.2 in/min crosshead speed till 0.6 % strain and then switched to 2 in/min for the remainder of the test.
• the modulus is measured for fresh samples as well as samples that are exposed to LT410 gel at 85°C for 14 days.
• the melting point is measured by DSC by first heating to 180°C at 10°C/min and then holding for 1 min. The samples are cooled at 10°C/min to ⁇ 25°C and then on second heating at 10°C /min to 200°C the melting point is determined.
• Non-isothermal crystallization half-time is determined by heating samples to 180°C and holding at that temperature for 1 minute. The samples are then cooled at 10°C/min and the time to complete half the maximum crystallization endotherm was read from the graph of time versus heat flow curve.
• Table 2 reports the materials used in the following examples, and certain of their properties.
• Tables 3, 4, 5A-1 , 5A2, 5B-1 and 5B-2 report the compositions of the comparative and inventive examples, and various of their properties.
• Table 6 shows the minimum property requirements for the inventive exampl inventive examples meet all of the requirements listed in the table.
• Samples CE 6 and 7 are samples without EP-iPP and MAH-G-HDPE compatibilizers and are very brittle as indicated by the poor strain at break and high low temperature britlleness (LTB) values.
• Samples CE9 and CE10 are comparative samples with EP-iPP at different levels resulting in lower aged and unaged modulus values as compared to IE2.
• the samples with MAH-g-HDPE (CE1 1 and CE12) result in higher aged modulus values versus CE9 and CE10 containing EP-iPP only but are more brittle.
• the CE9, 10,1 1 ,12 can be compared against one another because they all contain the same amount of PP (29.5 wt%).
• CE13 does achieve similar aged 1 % secant modulus as Inventive sample IE2 but an increased level of the high modulus PP is needed. However the 2% aged secant modulus for sample IE2 is still slightly higher. IE2 also shows lower gel absorption versus sample CE13. Gel absorption is only slightly higher in IE2 as compared to CE1 1 and CE12. However CE1 1 and CE12 have poor strain at break values indicating high brittleness.
• IE2 has overall much lower gel absorption versus the comparative commercial grade PP (ESCORENETM) used for buffer tubes and maintains much higher modulus after gel aging while achieving improved low temperature brittleness values and melt strength.
• IE2 shows thai combining both EP-iPP and MAH-g-HDPE produces overall the best balance of properties as compared to all the samples with the same concentration of PP. Improvements in properties such as retention of modulus after aging, low gel absorption, lower LTB values and improved melt strength are achieved as compared to samples with EP-iPP or MAH-g-HDPE alone as compatibilizer.
• CE14 uses a heterophasic copolymer PP of similar MFR to the II521 and shows lower aged modulus versus CE13 and IE2.
• IE2 shows faster crystallization half times as compared to the samples with only EP-iPP as compatibilizer.
• the Figure shows that the melt strength of the IE2 sample is higher than that of the samples with just EP-iPP as the compatibilizer.
• the IE2 melt strength is also higher than that of CE3 (the sample containing ESCORENETM copolymer PP.
• DSC graphs (not shown) of the samples with both EP-IPP and MAH-g-HDPE show one singular peak as compared to the samples with just EP-iPP (CE10.CE9), which consistently show two separate crystallization peaks in the cooling curves. This result provides evidence of co-crystallization in the EP-IPP and MAH-g-HDPE blends and effects the mechanical properties of the blends.

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